I Was Reincarnated As the Hated Scummy Best Friend in a Gal Game and the Protagonist Is Useless

75

31, Bad Timing

The Master’s daughter—Tanigawa Sakiya—strode in.

The Master greeted her with a “Welcome back.”

“Hm? Is she your daughter, Master?”

Eien-chan asked, looking at the girl who had just entered, and the Master naturally nodded.

“Yes, yes. She’s my child. Her name is Sakiya. She’s the same age as you guys and goes to the same school, so I hope you can get along.”

“Huh? Who is it, Master?”

“A kid who’s started coming to my shop recently.”

As the Master answered Sakiya’s question, Eien-chan whispered to me.

“It’s odd for someone to call their own father ‘Master,’ isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is…”

Having witnessed the scene for over three years, Sayaka’s calling me “Master” no longer feels out of place.

It’s become a part of everyday life.

“Over here is Miyamura Eien-san.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Mhm, nice to meet you too.”

Sayaka replies with a bit of a proud chest puff.

That’s why you don’t make friends, you know…

“Over here is Akechi Hidetaka-san.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Mhm, nice to mee—…wait, Hidetaka?! Are you guys messing with me!?”

Sayaka approaches me with a glare.

Her eyes are incredibly sullen.

“Hey, Master!? What’s going on!?”

“Well, it’s because Hidetaka-kun came pretending it was our first meeting—”

“Why would it be our first meeting! What about all the memories we’ve built up until now!?”

Sayaka looks up at me with teary eyes.

It pains my conscience.

It’s easier to brush off playful banter with a joke, but when the mood turns sorrowful, it’s harder to laugh it off.

“Sayaka-san, come on? How long will you keep me waiting?”

“Wait, Risa! It’s because Hidetaka—”

“Eh? Why is Akechi-kun here?”

“…”

Just as Risa shows up at the shop, so do Takeru, Emi, and Tsugaru—the whole gang.

…They’re all insiders.

“Hidetaka, you jerk—canceling our plans to go on a date. The plan was to bring friends to my shop, and you’re the only one who didn’t get caught.”

“Um, can I really go home now? For real…”

The café, usually filled with just my Master and me talking, has somehow turned into a hangout for middle schoolers.

“Eh? H-Hidetaka-san, you know the Master…?”

“More like, Hidetaka-kun is a freeloader at my sister’s house. He’s a relative’s kid.”

“Eh, whaaat!?”

Eien-chan raised her voice in astonishment.

“Why is Hideyoshi-kun with Eien!? That’s terrible, such a sneak out!?”

“Hey, Hideyoshi! When will you hang out just with me!?”

“Akechi-kun, when will you accompany me to buy StarChild’s CD!?”

It was Emi, Takeru, and Risa who clamored about the unfairness of me meeting with Eien-chan alone.

After all, for the latter two, we hadn’t even set a date, just said “some other time”…

“It’s so embarrassing! Hideyoshi-san! I’ve been acting like a regular, and you’re more of a regular than me! You should have told me first!”

Eien-chan, blushing red, shook my body.

“Hideyoshi, next time our promise takes priority, okay?”

Sakiya, holding my hand, appealed with tearful eyes.

“Hah, serves you right for having your date interrupted. How does it feel? How does it feel?”

Tsugaru, the wicked woman, grinned at my misfortune.

“Wow… this guy is more of a sneak than my sister and I thought…”

The master just watched the scene, neither stopping it nor stirring it up, just gazing blankly.

“Um… really… sorry to everyone…”

“I won’t forgive you, Hideyoshi-kun! Let’s go on a date with me too!”

“I’m going to the arcade with you, Hideyoshi!”

“Akechi-kun, prioritize me over your brother!”

“Keep your promise to me too, Hideyori!”

“Hideyoshi-san, no more secrets from now on!”

“Go for it, Akechi-kun!”

“Maybe I should tell my sister that she’s raising Hideyoshi-kun wrong…”

Thus, Akechi Hideyoshi cursed his own bad luck…